Rubies And Saffires
by Abigail Rose V
Summary: Prowl has Seeker roots, and Jazz has a mysterious past. Autobots and Decepticons are in love with one another in secret, and Starscream is the victim of unimaginable cruelty.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Starscream gasped, pushing himself as far into the wall as he could get, his arms wrapped tightly around his drawn up legs, hugging them to his chest. "P-p-please d-doon't h-hurt me an-anymore!" he sobbed, wings trembling so violently, Optimus Prime was afraid they'd rattle loose.

"Starscream, I haven't hurt you, and I won't. Calm down." Optimus tried to sooth the panicked seeker, but to no avail.

The Ark's occupants had been enjoying a quiet breakfast when Teletran began binging off the intruder alarm.

All the Autobots had leaped to their feet, only to throw themselves back down as an all-too-familiar red, blue, and white jet had hurtled inside.

But he hadn't stopped.

Most of the Ark stared in shock as he piled up against the wall in a shower of sparks and transformed-only to lay there, emitting the most pitiful wails any of them had ever heard.

At first, they all rushed over, guns primed and ready, but as the jet turned around, Prime stopped them from firing.

The usually angry, screeching, proud seeker was crying, there was energon trickling from the corners of his mouth, and his burning red eyes were pale, and unfocused.

He spotted them, but did not seem to recognize them for who they were.

A high keening erupted from within him, and most of the base lowered their weapons.

That's when he had started the endless pleas of "Don't hurt me anymore!"

Optimus Prime sent the rest of the Autobots away so he could try to work with him in private, but so far, Starscream _still_ wouldn't calm down.

Prime had slowly inched forward, still cautious about the formidable jet's firepower, when the seeker's engines gave a hiccup and his optics cleared for just a moment.

Starscream paused in his begging, and recognition lit up.

"You're-you're no-not-" was all he got out before his fans whirred loudly with fear again, and he cowered.

Long moments passed with the seeker harshly sobbing on the floor in front of the Prime, who knelt down so as not to loom over the terrified jet.

Optimus was hesitant to touch him, fearing an adverse reaction, when Starscream looked up again.

"Optimus." He whispered. "Are you, are you going to send me back?"

Optimus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That would depend on why you are here."

Starscream's optics widened, and he pushed further back into the wall.

He began shaking his head violently, stopping as the motion wrenched a cry of pain from him.

"Don't sen-send me back! Don't! He'll-he'll only hurt me again!" Starscream wailed, hugging his legs tighter.

"Isn't that what you two always do? Fight and you get punished for it?" Prime asked sternly.

"N-no, n-not always." Starscream peered up at the Autobot leader, tears still streaming down his face.

Optimus suddenly found himself at the receiving end of the most adorable, irresistible pair of ruby red optics he had ever seen.

"I can't keep you here. You are a Decepticon, and you belong with Megatron. If you have torqued him off and got punished, there is nothing I can do." Prime resisted adding that he probably deserved it anyhow.

But he was wavering, staring into Starscream's pleading optics.

"I didn't want to come here." Starscream admitted quietly. "But here I am and now I am asking, _begging_ , for your protection. Where are your Autobot morals? Please don't send me back."

"What does morals have to do with anything?" Optimus asked, feeling a creeping sense of dread rise in his core.

"It has nothing to do with anything." Megatron's laugh filled the large room.

Starscream froze, then began sobbing once more. "No, noooooo!" he screamed, pushing himself off the wall and crawling desperately away.

Prime caught a glimpse of energon and interface fluids leaking from a sparking port right before Megatron swooped over and snatched up the howling seeker.

Starscream dangled limply in his grasp, his body heaving with his crying.

Megatron fixed his enemy with a nasty grin. "Thank you, Prime, for keeping my toy safe for me." He laughed again, and flew out, Starscream staring back at Optimus with a haunted look in his streaming optics.

Gears turned in Prime's mind.

"Toy?" he whispered to himself. "No. No!"

Prime crept along the halls of the Nemesis, feeling way out of his league.

Infiltration was not one of his strongest points, and as he slunk through the shadows, he kept expecting at any moment to see Thundercracker, Skywarp, or Soundwave leapt out at him, guns blazing.

After Megatron had disappeared with Starscream draped over his shoulder, Optimus had leapt into action.

Figuring out quickly what Megatron had done to the attractive seeker was not hard to do, but the question was how long and how often had he been doing it?

And would Starscream actually accept Autobot help, once he was out of his traumatized state?

Or would he turn on them like was his nature and return to his abuser, as he had so many times in the past even when given another option?

Optimus Prime had attempted to leave the Autobot base by himself, but Skyfire somehow got wind of what was going down and insisted he transport Prime there instead.

After some time spent arguing, Prime realized that time was getting away, and had reluctantly agreed to allow Skyfire to act as his taxi once more.

Only _after_ Skyfire was high in the air and far from the Ark, did the other passengers reveal themselves: Ironhide, Bumblebee, and Jazz.

Optimus had face palmed in exasperation, but there was nothing he could do.

Now he was thankful for the extra help.

Skyfire was waiting on shore, ready to whisk them back safely to the Ark when they emerged, Jazz assured Prime he would keep the Decepticons from discovering them, Bumblebee was helping in the search, and Ironhide waited just outside, ready to come to the rescue and blast any 'con trying to harm his beloved Prime.

He had made it clear Jazz was on his own, as was Bumblebee.

"They'ah used to it." He had informed Optimus. " They can take cah of themselves."

When Optimus asked why he couldn't take care of himself, Ironhide had snorted.

"Megertron has it in fer ya." He had frowned up at Prime. "And yer more of bunglah in these kinds of things, pahdon mah bluntness."

Optimus was forced to agree.

He was simply too big and loud to be sneaking around like he was, and it was more likely he would be found by the Decepticon leader then anyone else.

It was almost like the warlord had a sixth sense on where the matrix carrier was at any given time, and Optimus wondered faintly if Megatron already knew he was here.

Prime carefully edged around a corner and stopped dead.

Bumblebee stared back at him.

"What are you doing here?" they both asked at the same time.

The yellow and black bot blinked his baby blue optics.

He was now tall enough to look most seekers in the eye, but he still adored the older mech, treating him like his sparker.

" I was searching my half of the Nemesis like you wanted, Optimus." He replied respectfully. "Did you finish your side already?"

Optimus Prime looked sheepishly at his best scout. "I think I may have gotten a little bit lost." He admitted.

Bumblebee smiled. " That's okay, Optimus. The first few times I snuck in here I got lost too. Jazz beat it out of me though."

Optimus raised an optical ridge in alarm, and Bumblebee hastened to assure him.

"I didn't mean _that_ , all I meant was he really trained me out of it, that's all."

Prime sighed in relief.

That wasn't the first alarming report of Jazz's brutality he had heard, though it was not usually on an Autobot.

Normally the cool-headed assassin saved it for Decepticons he captured and extracted information from.

Prime never approved of torture, but some of the Autobots did it anyway.

Optimus rubbed his temples, and Bumblebee looked concerned.

"Look Prime, I know you're worried about the flying creep, but it's not like it hasn't happened before." He tried to console his leader, instead having the opposite effect.

"How much do you and the other spies know of this?" Prime demanded, almost harshly.

Bumblebee's optics widened, and he took a step back. "When you are slipping through 'con headquarters on a near-daily or weekly basis, you get to hear and see a lot of things you wish you never had." He said quietly. "Starscream's 'punishments' are one of them."

"Is it always just Megatron?" Optimus asked quietly.

Bumblebee nodded.

"So it's a secret?"

Bumblebee nodded again.

Prime stood still, deep in thought.

"So." He finally said. "If we can get video proof of Starscream's abuse, maybe we can get the other Decepticons on our side?"

"Maybe." Bumblebee said. "Though I doubt Starscream would appreciate that information spread around."

"But if it saved him from his abuse-" Optimus started, but Bumblebee shook his head firmly.

"Seeker culture, Prime. It's too complicated to explain here and now. Just know that it would forfeit his position and eventually his life, as well that of his trine."

Optimus frowned.

Bumblebee sighed. "Interface is one of the most important things in Seeker culture, and abuse of it is taboo, including _allowing_ yourself to be abused in this way. If he were lower in the trine rank, it would not be as bad, but being Air Commander, it is a death sentence. Even if he were just a trine leader, it would be bad."

Optimus stared at Bumblebee.

"And that's just scratching the surface." The yellow and black bot shook his head. "Ask Jazz or Prowl later, They know more about Seeker culture then the rest of us, save maybe Ratchet. I'll get there someday though."

"Okay." Prime took a deep breath. "We still have to find him. We better- _mmmff_!"

Bumblebee suddenly bundled his leader into a doorway, his servo clamped down firmly over the Prime's protective mouthplate.

Optimus didn't twitch so much as a back strut, just lay where Bumblebee had shoved him.

Bumblebee crouched by his head, staring into the passage outside, silent and still.

It was not two astroseconds when Prime heard two voices coming down the hall.

"But we promised Jazz!" Frenzy obviously.

"But this was not how it was supposed to go! If we could get Megatron to frag Jazz instead of Starscream?" Rumble, sounding distressed.

"We have to do this for Jazz. It is what he wanted." Frenzy again, trying to reassure his twin. "That, and you know Jazz will get out of it. He's smarter then even Boss, so ole Megs doesn't stand a chance."

"True." Rumble admitted.

Optimus was sitting up and glaring at Bumblebee by now, who looked away guiltily.

"Autobot signals!" Rumble suddenly whispered. "We found them."

Bumblebee launched from the passage, ready to down the two runts, when he stopped.

"Wha-What?!" Prime stepped out, his own optics widening when he saw what the two casseticons were clutching like a shield.

"Jazz's sigil, we know. He said it would stop you from shooting us." Frenzy explained nervously.

"He sent us to help you." Rumble clarified.

Bumblebee placed his gun against their heads menacingly. "How do we know you are not lying?" he demanded harshly.

Unafraid, Rumble tipped his head back and coolly informed Bumblebee, " Because we have a secret pass code from Jazz too, in case this happened."

"Well, what is it?" Optimus rumbled.

" You're looking in the wrong place, for my love. Don't think because you're with me this is real…" the two sang together.

Bumblebee blinked. "O-okay?" he looked to Prime in confusion.

But Optimus smiled down at the two cassettes kindly. "Alright, take us to where we need to go." He said gently.

Bumblebee gaped at his leader before snapping his mouth shut and scrambling after them.

"It's a code in lyrics Jazz and I set up a few years ago." Prime explained. " It means to trust whoever carries the pass code."

The two scampered silently ahead of them, confident until they reached an intersection.

"Oh no." Rumble muttered, glancing at his brother, who had a look of horror on his face.

As one, they turned and peered apologetically up at the huge Autobot leader.

"Something has come up." Frenzy said, fidgeting.

"Oh I knew it!" Bumblebee snapped out his weapons again, and Rumble held up his hands

"No, no! Nothing like that! It's just, well, can you two restrain yourselves and no heroics? Jazz'll kill us if we let you interfere with his game."

"Okay." Prime said hesitantly.

"Swear by Primus." Frenzy demanded.

Bumblebee started to protest, but Prime held up his hand, and silenced his scout.

"Alright, we swear it." Optimus said. "Now lead the way."

The two cassettes exchanged glances, then shrugged. "They're Autobots, they always keep their word." Rumble said, and Frenzy nodded.

The two stealthily crept down the hall, the two Autobots slinking behind them.

It was not long before a scream ripped through the air, and the two spies in front of them flinched.

"I can't believe Jazz couldn't get out of it!" Frenzy sounded shocked-and let down.

"I told you!" Rumble began scrambling faster.

"That was Jazz?" Prime asked, fear pricking his spark.

"No, it was Star. You'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

They quickly jogged down the hall, the agonized cries soon mixing with Jazz's ever-cheerful voice.

The two cassettes relaxed, hearing the Porsche's voice, but they re-tensed as they peered around a corner.

When Prime and Bumblebee laid down and stuck their heads around the corner as well, it took all their self control not to go racing to Jazz's rescue.

Jazz was held in Megatron's steel grip, being forced to spike Starscream, who was pinned down over the cold gray throne by the triplechangers, and Soundwave, though it appeared that Soundwave was an unwilling participant.

He had a servo placed on Starscream's back, but wasn't straining to keep it there.

It seemed more of comfort then of anything.

Jazz was built as an interface bot, so his spike was nothing to sneeze at, and to the tri-colored seeker's smaller, already tender port, it was pure agony to have the black and white bot shoved into him at a rapid rate.

Jazz was making fun of Megatron the whole time, which put the warlord in a rage.

Jazz's visor met Prime's horrified optics as Megatron grabbed the smallest Autobot's spike and twisted savagely.

Jazz smiled, and said calmly, "Starscream is so much better. I would have overloaded by now had the _real_ interface champion of you lousy-spiked Decepticons been doing this. "

Megatron roared in fury, then knocked the triplechangers aside, picked up the sobbing Starscream, threw him to the floor and kicked him away, then slammed Jazz down over the armrest of the throne.

Soundwave stood motionless by the throne, and Megatron glared at him until he moved stiffly forward and pressed his servos to Jazz's back, holding him down.

Thundercracker and Skywarp, wings lowered, moved to their crying leader, tenderly lifting him from the floor and leaving the room, shame rolling off them in waves.

Megatron released his enormous spike, gripping one of the audial horns and twisting Jazz's head around forcing him to look, but Jazz just sighed. "Is that it? Ironhide's is so much bigger."

Bumblebee's face turned fifty shades of red as he listened to Jazz causally announce that fact as easily as though he was declaring the weather was changing.

Prime himself fought back a cough of embarrassment at the thought of his bodyguard and old friend spiking Jazz enthusiastically.

Rumble and Frenzy didn't seem bothered, though.

Megatron gritted his denta, lined up with the Porsche's port, Jazz obligingly spreading his legs and tilting his aft for better penetration, and slammed into him.

Jazz's visor went all shades of blue and white with pain, but he still managed to drive another jab at Megatron. " Really, my grandmother could have done better–and she didn't even _have_ a spike!"

"Does Jazz _want_ hurt?" Optimus asked in shock, as Megatron began pounding the far smaller bot, pulling Jazz's head back with a cruel grip on his sensitive horns so he could see the expression on his prisoner's face. "It looks like Megatron'll tear him in half with that!"

"Do you wanna save Screamer or not?" Rumble demanded, a tear trickling down his cheek as a choked cry came from Jazz.

"Yeah, there's a lot of suffering going on in order to allow you access to that seeker, so you better go do it." Frenzy snapped, turning away as Megatron bit the spy's lips in a fierce kiss, energon trickling down his chin when he pulled away.

Optimus sent one last look at Jazz, agonized cries wrenching from the assassin despite his best efforts.

Jazz met his gaze again, and winked, Megatron too busy savagely burying his denta into saboteur's neck to notice.

Optimus saluted him, then turned to the cassettes. "Lead us to him." He said tightly.

"Starscream, this is beyond humiliating! Not only have you allowed yourself to be interfaced by a grounder, to be _spiked_ no less by a grounder, you also have been raped! And you couldn't even take the spike of a much smaller Autobot! You have forfeited your right as Air Commander!" the four in the rescue party were staring into the seeker's private quarters, watching as Skywarp and Thundercracker berated their leader.

Starscream was slumped against a wall in front of them, crying softly.

"I-I-I" Starscream tried to speak, but Thundercracker leaned down and slapped him visously, knocking his head back with a dull thud against the wall.

"We _reject_ you!" he hissed angrily, and scratched his claws down one of the red and white wings, Skywarp marring the other one just as fiercely.

Starscream let out a spark-rending cry, but the other two seekers spun on their heels and marched out without a backwards glance, brushing past Prime and the others close enough to have touched them.

When Optimus looked back, the cassettes were leading Bumblebee away, who gave Prime a thumbs-up for luck.

"Take good care of our big bro! Laserbeak would be furious if something happened to his little bro!" Rumble called, but was gone before Optimus had time to ask him what that meant.

The Prime turned back to the room, empty save one slumped, bleeding, keening seeker.

Then he moved into the room, careful to make a little noise so as to let Starscream know he was coming, but not so much noise as to scare him.

Starscream peered up at him as he knelt before the jet, tears running down his charcoal gray face, a miserable expression on it.

"You have come to end me?" Starscream rasped, and it seemed to Prime almost hopefully.

"No." Optimus gently took one of the blue servos and helped the shaky seeker to his feet, catching him when he fell. "I'm here to take you to safety."

Starscream groaned as he leaned heavily on the Prime. "There is no such thing. Not for me anyway. He'll find me again. He always does."

Optimus didn't answer, but, deciding Starscream could not walk all the way out, scooped the jet into his arms.

It was a little awkward, seems how the lacerated wings would have poked him in his chest, but Starscream pulled them back a bit, angling them so as to rest against the Autobot leader's sides instead.

Optimus frowned as he carried the traumatized seeker.

He should have been far heavier.

He may as well have been carrying Inferno instead of a fighter jet.

Prime glanced at the Decepticon in his arms.

Starscream was clutching at him weakly, his ruby optics closed, tears still trickling from them.

Gently, Optimus pried at his fuel gauges, soothing Starscream when the young seeker whimpered, and confirmed his guess.

Starscream was all but out of fuel, and Optimus bet energon chips that Megatron starved his SIC on a regular basis, judging by how light he was.

When Optimus passed the door to the throne room, he glanced inside-and nearly purged.

From the look of the shiny lubricant smeared all over Jazz's face, to the same substance dripping from his port, and the still sparking interface fluid sprayed literally all over his body and the throne itself, he had overloaded his tormentor already.

He was now positioned different then when Prime had last seen him; instead of just being bent over, he now had his legs spread as wide as they could go, and were tied that way, leaving him very open and vulnerable.

Megatron was still slowly rocking into Jazz, (and giving him a sound spanking in between powerful thrusts, making him sob and buck his hips weakly as though trying to escape the punishment, which only pleasured the evil mech inside him more), but now he was not the only one abusing Jazz's special abilities.

Skywarp was actually straddling Jazz's waist, the Porsche's speakers turned on so they vibrated in the seeker's interface chambers, and he was sweetly kissing the warlord as he ground himself into the assassin, his long claws scoring deep scratches along Jazz's back and sides.

Jazz's body was heaving from his sobs, and this only excited the seeker's interface systems even more as Jazz would inevitably hitch up into him, bouncing the purple and black jet seated on his thumping speakers.

Somecon had wrenched the speakers backwards so that they were situated where they were, or this would not have been possible, Prime released dully.

Reflector was kneeling under Jazz, sucking the saboteur's (shockingly) erect spike greedily, choking every time Megatron would ram forcefully into Jazz's gushing port, driving the coveted spike down into the camera-con's small throat.

Thrust, living up to his name and thrusting his own impressive spike down Jazz's throat rapidly, held the spy's head in a death grip with one clawed hand, the other pulling one of the sensitive audial horns, which looked badly damaged, little rivulets of energon running off them to drain down the side of his face along with his tears.

And no wonder: Thundercracker had a hold of the other horn and was biting and sucking delightedly, even swiping his tongue along Jazz's face on his way up to the tip of the horn.

Every time the Porsche gasped and sobbed, his throat convulsed violently, and Thrust let out a howl of pleasure.

Dirge and Ramjet had each taken one of Jazz's hands, the bot having turned on his magnets slightly, and were using Jazz to rub and jerk their own spikes, the spy's grip being strong due to the pain he was in.

Astrotrain loomed over Jazz as well, his fingers eagerly searching his face, splaying over the sensitive visor, and even had one claw under the visor as though he was going to pry it off.

Blitzwing was also bending over the assassin, biting happily on his neck, and Lugnut was crouched under, almost between Thrust's legs, chewing on his quivering throat.

Soundwave alone remained in the same position as when Optimus had first seen him: stone still, both hands splayed over Jazz's back, gently resting there.

Optimus felt sick, but he hurried on, Starscream whimpering painfully once more.

Swiftly he made his way out, Ironhide and Bumblebee waiting just outside for him.

Ironhide looked at Starscream with a surprisingly tender expression.

"Poor kid." The old warrior remarked, and the seeker managed a small smile, surprising Ironhide.

Optimus waited to see if either would ask after Jazz's whereabouts, but neither the red soldier nor the yellow spy said a word.

The only thing betraying anyone's worry was the way Ironhide's optics shifted behind Prime, and his face clouded with pure rage for a klik.

Then he turned and led the way back up to an anxiously waiting Skyfire, who _did_ ask about Jazz.

However, before Prime could utter a word, Ironhide broke in. "He'll be fahne! Jes go!"

"But-" Skyfire started, and this time Bumblebee answered.

"Skyfire, Jazz is fine. He'll be back before you know it. Now lets go."

Skyfire sounded incredulous. "We're… leaving him behind? In the Decepticon base? Alone?"

Ironhide smacked one of Skyfire's wheel wells. " Yah flying idiot! Jazz cahn take cah of himself! He ain't got his reputation fer nothin'!"

Skyfire heaved a great sigh, but said no more.

They had just started to climb into the shuttle, when they heard jet engines screaming and a weak voice called out to them "Hey man, wait for me!"

"Jazz?" Optimus spun around, and sure enough, there was his right-hand bot, dangling limply between both Thundercracker and Skywarp.

The jet he held shuddered in his grasp.

Swooping low, the two seekers dropped Jazz gently on the sand a short distance away and sped off again.

Jazz waved at the two jets, then limped and staggered badly across the sand towards Skyfire and the other Autobots, a wide grin on his surprisingly clean face, though the gashes and scratches still stood out and trickled enough fresh energon to make up for it.

"How?" Prime spluttered when Jazz reached him, Starscream turning his head and staring at Jazz as though seeing him for the first time.

"It's all in the wrist." Jazz grinned at him, blew a kiss at Starscream, limped inside, and then collapsed.

Bumblebee knelt by Jazz, but Ironhide shoved him aside so he could check on the spy himself.

Skyfire closed his doors, and took off.

Optimus kept his grip on the jet, who wouldn't take his eyes off Jazz, whom Ironhide had tenderly scooped up and was cradling like a sparkling, Bumblebee hovering over both their shoulders as they sat down for the flight home.

"I've-" Jazz stared to say something, but Ironhide interrupted.

"Anything ya hafta say kid'll hafta wait until we're back." He told the exhausted spy.

Jazz stubbornly opened his mouth, but Ironhide placed a finger against his torn lips. "No talkin'" he warned sternly.

"Well, I would say, yessir Ironhide, but that would mean talking, so-"

Ironhide clamped his servo over the smaller bot's mouth, glaring at him. "Ah said no talkin'" he growled.

He kept his servo there for a little while before loosening his grip and letting his servo fall.

Jazz mimed zipping his mouth closed and throwing away the key, and Ironhide huffed.

Starscream hadn't made a sound the whole time, though this tears hadn't stopped falling as yet.

Jazz's visor rested on Starscream.

"Goodness." He murmured. "When is he going to run out of tears?"

Ironhide groaned, and re-clamped his servo firmly over the Porsche's mouth. "Ah guess Ah'll hafta leave mah servo here fer a while." He complained.

The rest of the flight home was silent, and all stayed lost in their own thoughts.

Well, all but Jazz.

He dozed off, so all he was lost in was dreamland, which aggravated Ironhide to no end judging by the look on his silver face.

Optimus wished Starscream would drop off into recharge, but no such luck.

The seeker clung to him the whole flight, those oily tears forming a puddle on the floor at the Prime's peds, his ruby optics never leaving Jazz for a single klik.

Bumblebee remained at their backs, silent and still once more.

Optimus just hoped the other Autobots would be as welcoming as the four he was with were.

He doubted it though.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ratchet stood up, stretching as he turned to look at his leader with a sour expression. "I'd like to dismantle Megatron bolt by bolt for this." He declared, resting a red servo on Jazz's chest.

"Aw come on Ratch, it wasn't all bad!" Jazz protested, though Prime knew he was in a lot of pain still.

Ratchet wasn't yet done with his repairs, as the damage done to the little spy was extensive.

The old medic just wanted to give Jazz a break, as the bot's systems spat out sedatives like poison, forcing him to suffer every repair fully awake.

"Shut up little whore." Ratchet said, and Jazz closed his mouth, a surprised look on his face.

" _What_ did you just call Jazz?" Hoist, operating on Starscream's lesser damaged parts, looked up in surprise as well.

" A little whore. All he does is interface, interface, interface. It's as if that's all he lives for." Ratchet complained.

"That's not true man!" Jazz burst out. " I do a heck of a lot more then just 'face bots and cons!"

"Oh yes, and you dance too." Ratchet snapped his fingers.

"Ratchet, I'm gonna beam you one." Jazz seethed behind him.

"I don't think so." Ratchet moved to the other patient in the ward, shooing Hoist away.

Starscream was drugged out, because he had such a severe panic attack once Prime carried him in that Ratchet was afraid his spark would stop pulsing from the force of it.

Jazz struggled to sit up, but Prowl patiently held him down.

"Come on Prowler!" Jazz whined, sagging back against the medical berth. "Speak up for my honor, at least!"

"You have brought this upon yourself." Prowl said sternly, fixing Jazz with a 'behave yourself or else' look.

Jazz huffed. " So I suppose next time in battle I should spike the cons into retreat then? Or dance us to victory?"

"Now Jazz, don't be ridiculous." Ratchet scolded as he bent over the seeker's limp body.

"Hey man, I just want a little credit for all the sacrifice I do!" Jazz pouted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Alright then, if you want it here it is!" Sideswipe swooped in from out of nowhere and kissed Jazz, running his glossa in the obliging mouth.

"Cut that out! Not in _my_ medbay!" Ratchet brought a wrench down firmly on the red Lamborghini's backside, and he leapt away with a howl.

Jazz smiled sweetly up at Ratchet, who held a wrench threatenly above his head.

"Are you going to hit me too? One of your favorite patients? All helpless and hurting on your med-berth because you couldn't be so kind as to sedate me?"

Ratchet growled, but lowered the wrench. " Do me a favor and be quiet, and maybe I'll think about sedating you, though Primus-knows what good it'll actually do."

"I think you like me in pain." Quick as a flash, Jazz reached out and stroked Ratchet right on his interface plating.

Prowl swiftly snatched Jazz's wrist, pearly white claws curling around the sleek black amour as he forced Jazz's servo back to his chest.

Ratchet glared at Jazz, his grip on the wrench tightening. "If you weren't hurt down there, I'd spank you for that."

Before Jazz could answer, Starscream twitched and moaned softly.

"H-how?!" Ratchet spluttered, and raced over to him. "I gave him enough to keep him out for days!"

Frantically, the old medic filled another syringe and was just about to slip it into one of the many exposed cables when Starscream's optics flew open.

"Don't! Thunder please! It'll hurt!" he grabbed Ratchet's wrist in a surprisingly strong grip, his optics glazed.

"Shh, this'll help you feel better." Ratchet tried to sooth, but to no avail.

Starscream thrashed wildly, and Prime, Prowl, Hoist, Sideswipe, and Jazz leaped over to pin the flailing limbs down.

"I don't want it! I don't want it! Please don't hurt me anymore!" Starscream wailed, clutching Ratchet's wrists even tighter. "I'll do it, I'll do it, just please don't hurt me anymore!"

Then the obviously confused seeker pulled Ratchet down to him and frantically kissed him, licking desperately at his firmly closed lips before Ratchet yanked away, face reddening.

"Thundercracker help me!" Starscream, optics paled to almost white, screamed hoarsely. "Skywarp! Somebody! Please!"

Jazz held up a finger and began to softly play a gentle sounding song on his speakers (he insisted that they be fully functional first or he wouldn't behave for Ratchet, so the old medic did as Jazz wished) that made Prowl's doorwings twitch with surprise, and the tactician to murmur something about ancient seeker.

Starscream stilled, and he reached a trembling servo for Jazz, his optics closed with exhaustion.

Jazz gripped the shaky blue fingers tightly, and tenderly stroked up and down the nose cone.

"Carrier-stand in, my caretaker kind." Starscream whimpered. "I want my trine. Why can't they help me?"

"Because they would be forced to reject you." Jazz rumbled in Soundwave's voice. "Shush, my young mechling. No one will hurt you right now. I have you."

A small trickle of energon was running down Jazz's leg, and Ratchet closed his eyes and focused on controlling his irritation.

In all his activity, Jazz had re-broken the fresh welds inside his interface assembly before they were fully set.

Optimus, Hoist, and Sideswipe were giving Jazz strange looks, but he seemed not to notice, focusing instead on petting the nose cone and playing the soothing melody.

Ratchet slowly sank the needle into one of Starscream's cables, and moments later the jet was out once more.

"Okay Jazz, lets get you back to the operating table." Ratchet said, but Jazz shook his head.

"Can't." he informed Ratchet. "He'll wake up."

"He's drugged, Jazz. He won't even know you left." Ratchet told him firmly, reaching to pluck him off the jet.

"Oh yes he will." Jazz replied just as firmly, flattening himself. "This one's a clutcher. You saw how quickly he came out last time. You'd be horrified at all the stuff this jet has been forced to take into his body. His systems are so used to it they kick out anything foreign lickity-split."

"Just like yours do." Hoist realized faintly.

"So you're saying that letting go of your servo will bring him out too?" Ratchet looked fit to be tied, ignoring Hoist and gripping Jazz's waist in preparation to lift him.

"Yep." Jazz nodded. "He's been a clutcher since the day old Megatron found him in the gutter back on Cybertron."

Ratchet growled, then released Jazz and stalked off.

"Really Jazz, how do you find out this stuff?" Sideswipe asked, totally baffled.

" It comes with time Sides." Jazz told him, eyeing Ratchet warily as the old medic stomped around getting tools. "Speaking of, it's about time I gave you my message from the seekers."

"Go on." Optimus said impatiently.

"TC and Warp say to take good care of him or they'll shred the nearest cities. He likes to be stroked best on those twin crests on his helm, the top edges of his wings, down the sides of his face, and his nose cone. He likes being held close at night and enjoys praise more then you may think. Also, they'll have to kill him if Megatron takes him back, so they suggest you don't let that happen. Oh, and he loves treats, and will do almost anything for flavored energon. Honey and Cyberwine flavored is his favorite." Jazz finished and smiled at his leader.

"I thought they'd rejected him." Optimus said, looking at Jazz.

"They did. What little is left of Seeker culture demanded of them to do so. Doesn't mean they aren't still fond of him and want him to be well-taken care of." Jazz purred softly. "They're more fond of Screamer then one may think."

"So would they really kill him if Megatron took him back?" Prowl asked.

Jazz shrugged. "Who knows? They might just be bluffing, like seekers always do. Ratchet, don't sedate me. I don't wanna slip off Screamer here."

Ratchet huffed in exasperation. "Then don't whine to me about it hurting." He warned the Porsche sternly.

"Oh I won't." Jazz chirped brightly.

Ratchet pressed firmly on the smallest Autobot's back, forcing him down on Starscream's front, aft still in the air.

"Good thing I'm perfectly comfy like this." Jazz said cheerfully as Ratchet arranged his legs in order to keep him propped up and still reach his interface chambers with ease.

"Good thing." Prowl looked away uncomfortably and Jazz smirked up at him in amusement.

Hoist edged for the door, but Sideswipe looked highly interested.

"Hoist, would you be so kind as to escort our red friend out of here?" Jazz requested sweetly, bringing one of Prowl's servos to his mouth and sucking on a white claw.

Prowl resisted simply jerking his servo back, instead gently withdrawing his claw before cuffing Jazz lightly on the head.

Sideswipe looked appalled. "Jazz!" he protested as Hoist came and laid a strong grip on his arm.

"Sorry Sides, but 'facing isn't looking very appealing to me right now, and the look on your face sickened me." Jazz stated flatly, rubbing his head when Prowl had struck him.

Sideswipe looked confused, but allowed himself to be led away.

Jazz waited until he was almost out of the room, and then called out to him as Ratchet began removing his outer armor, Prowl watching closely.

"Just to let you know, I was raped three different ways today while rescuing our flying friend."

Sideswipe froze up hearing that, and Hoist had to drag him the rest of the way out.

"I sure hope you wanted the whole base to hear that." Ratchet griped as he loosened a few bolts.

"I did." Jazz tightened his jaw.

Prowl hovered over Jazz protectively, but Ratchet knew better then to order him to leave.

Both ninjas had signed on together, and Jazz never went to a single checkup or repair without Prowl there with him.

Neither would give their reasons for this, but whatever it was, Ratchet wished it were not so, as he hated working with someone over his shoulder the whole time.

But at least he could use Prowl and get Jazz out faster…

"Prowl!"

"Yes Ratchet?"

"Looks like his horns are bleeding again. Fix those for me and re-clean his face. I don't like the look of those bite marks on his neck and throat either."

"Yes Ratchet."

Jazz lifted his head to allow Prowl to follow orders, whimpering when Prowl's fingers brushed gently over his visor.

Prowl's servo froze.

"Was this touched?" Prowl tapped the visor sharply with a claw, and Jazz choked back a cry.

"No." Jazz forced a chuckle. "I woulda killed someone if they touched my visor."

"Then you won't mind me taking a look then." Prowl laid his palms over the visor, and Jazz jerked his head back.

Prowl firmly gripped Jazz's head, and ignoring the sudden keening, disattached the flickering visor and peered down at Jazz's face, keeping his doorwings in the way so no one else could see.

"When are you ever going to stop lying to me?" they heard Prowl growl from behind his doorwings.

"N-never." Jazz let out a sharp whimper.

"What's going on?" Ratchet demanded.

"Just some dirty con messed with his visor." Prowl responded.

Everyone heard a sharp click and Jazz yelled.

Prowl smoothed a servo over Jazz's back, murmuring soothingly as Jazz shuddered.

Ratchet kept working at Jazz's other end, but he handed Prime a damp cloth.

"Work on those cuts." He said gruffly. "Who knows what germs were on those filthy seeker claws."

Prime got to work disinfecting the long and, in places deep, scratches from Skywarp and the other seekers.

Prowl was done first, and Jazz nearly went limp with relief as Prowl re-attached his visor and stood up.

Prowl silently held out his hand, and Ratchet gave him some of the disinfecting cloths.

Jazz buried his face in Starscream's chest, but Prowl tilted his head back and began cleaning the many bite marks and cuts on his face, throat, and neck.

Knowing Jazz dealt better with anything when given something to do, Optimus asked him a question.

"Jazz, could you tell us about Starscream's upbringing?"

Jazz turned his head to look at his leader, making Prowl sigh and turn his head back around. "Okee. Starscream was abandoned as a sparkling for unknown reasons, and left to die in a gutter in Kaon. Megatron, by some stroke of misfortune, stumbled upon him while out plotting one day, and took him in, giving him the name of Starscream."

"As an adult, or a seekerlet sparkling, or as a newfledge?" Prowl asked tightly, pausing briefly in his wiping.

"Seekerlet sparkling." Jazz replied, flinching away from the cloth as Prowl attempted to wipe his visor.

Prowl growled low in his throat, but otherwise remained silent as he firmly held Jazz in place and wiped his visor.

Jazz waited a klik, then continued as Prowl moved on to his cheeks. " Soundwave had more to do with him then Megatron did, who largely ignored his adopted seekerlet except to punish him. Starscream, for some insane reason though, absolutely adored him, and out-did himself to try and please him. Laserbeak and Ravage baby-sat him when Soundwave couldn't watch him, since Rumble and Frenzy were born shortly after Starscream's arrival, keeping Wave busy."

"That explains the cassettes comments once they took us to Starscream." Optimus exclaimed, replacing his used disinfecting cloths with new ones.

"What comments?" Jazz asked, suddenly tense.

Optimus explained, and Jazz relaxed. "Must be why Bee is so quiet. They must have spilled the beans on it to him too." He remarked.

"I did wonder why Bumblebee was so quiet." Ratchet murmured, immersed in his work, but still with an audio tuned to the conversation.

"They also seem very concerned about you, Jazz." Optimus said, voice getting a bit sterner, and he paused in his work. "And they seemed to be on very familiar terms with you. Why is that?"

"They're spies Op. They know a lot about all of us." Jazz replied evenly, tilting his head to the side to allow Prowl better access to a particularly nasty bite on the side of his neck.

"It was more then that. They actually shed a tear when they saw what Megatron was doing to you." Prime insisted.

"It was not for me, it was for Starscream." Jazz answered calmly, then shut his mouth while Prowl gently cleaned his lips.

Jazz playfully nibbled at the cloth, and Prowl rolled his optics, carefully dabbing away the dried energon from the edges of his mouth.

"They were worried about you too, Jazz." And Prime repeated what the twins had been saying about Jazz.

"I've been known to get out of everything before Prime. Everyone knows that, and those two have a huge sense of adventure and daring, so its no surprise they admire me." Jazz countered coolly once he could talk again.

"But they said they promised you something." Optimus Prime pressed, and Jazz sighed loudly, partly out of annoyance, and partly to cover his discomfort as Prowl scrubbed at his horns and pried a small metal splinter from one.

"Who knew our own leader was so naive?" he said mournfully as Prowl doused each horn in disinfectant.

"Any secret relationships with Decepticons will be strictly punished." Ratchet said, twisting some wires back in place and making Jazz grit his denta.

"You're one to talk." Jazz retorted sharply, and Prowl placed his clawed hands firmly on Jazz's neck, pressing him down into Starscream's chest.

Ratchet had frozen, and was now glaring at Jazz, who glared right back.

"I demand an explanation." Optimus rumbled.

Just then Starscream let out a squeak, and shifted slightly.

Ratchet cursed heavily and injected more sedative into the jet's lines, quieting him once more.

Then Jazz lifted a guilty visor to Prime and confessed, " I made a deal with them to allow you passage, giving them my sigil, allowing them to drag me to Megatron, and giving them my secret pass code I shall now have to change, in exchange for their help in getting their brother to safety. Is that so wrong?"

Optimus sighed.

Something just wasn't quite right about it, but he supposed this was all he would get from Jazz.

"No, that's fine." Prime said tiredly.

Prowl released Jazz and the spy smiled at him, opening his mouth to say something.

Prowl just leveled a look at him, and Jazz snapped his mouth shut.

Ratchet finished repairs in silence, everyone having forgotten the rest of Starscream's story was yet untold.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

By the time Ratchet had finished repairing both Starscream and Jazz, he was so hopping mad at Megatron that Prime was afraid he'd actually try to murder the con leader single-handedly, so he ordered him to go take a break, and secretly ordered Ironhide to keep a sharp optic on him.

Prime stayed behind to keep an optic on Starscream, with orders to call Ratchet the second he started to wake up, _after_ exhausting the supply of sedative Ratchet had filled for him.

Prowl stayed with Jazz, who was none to happy to be stuck in a med berth for a while.

During the operation, Starscream had woken up fully again, and they had managed to separate him and Jazz, despite the seeker's screeching and crying for… someone or something… but since he was wailing in his language, no one could understand him.

Prowl's doorwings showed his distress as whatever the seeker was going on about, and Prime was suddenly reminded that he suspected the SIC had seeker in his gene code somewhere, but when he asked him if he knew what Starscream was carrying on about, the tactician just shook his head and stroked Jazz's cheek.

Optimus noticed that Jazz's visor had nearly went out, and was confused, until Ratchet finally got the squawking, thrashing jet back into unconsciousness.

The Prime decided that the decibel level must have finally reached the noise-loving bot's limit, as once the seeker went silent, Jazz's visor flickered back on.

Ratchet had been extra careful about keep Starscream under from then on out, and Jazz had been able to remain on his own med berth.

He prattled endlessly to Prowl about something, Primus-knows-what, and even though Prowl listened attentively, Prime could tell he didn't absorb much of the chatter, and to be honest, neither did he.

But at least Jazz wasn't trying to move, and Starscream was out deeper then he had been pretty much the whole time.

After a bit, Jazz's exhaustion started taking its toll on him, and even with his best efforts, he fell into a much-needed recharge.

Prowl breathed a quiet sigh of relief once the spy was out, then gracefully moved to a chair near Optimus, turning and locking optics with his leader seriously.

Starscream whimpered, and Prime leaped up quickly to apply the needle in one of the cables, then sat back down as the jet went limp once more.

"Sir, we need to discuss Starscream's quarters." Prowl stated quietly. "He needs to stay under constant supervision, but with someone who will not take advantage of him right now."

"He could stay with Skyfire." Prime suggested, but Prowl shook his head.

"Too distressing." He said firmly.

Optimus arched an optical ridge, but Prowl didn't clarify.

The Matrix carrier cleared his vocalizer. "I could-" he started, but Prowl doorwings went ridged, and he shook his head sternly.

"He is not to sleep in your berthroom." He said decisively. "No, the only ones who I would trust would be Beachcomber, Seaspray, Perceptor, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, or myself."

Optimus thought about that for a bit, the silence stretching between him and his second like an endless sheet of ice, thought Prime did not know why it felt that way.

"Why don't we let Starscream decide?" he said finally, and Prowl nodded stiffly, his doorwings losing some of their tenseness.

Just then the door to the medbay opened a crack-okay, a very _large_ crack, and Skyfire himself poked his head in.

Prowl scowled at him, and the large half-seeker awkwardly stepped the rest of the way in, face a bit flushed.

"What is it, Skyfire?" Optimus asked kindly, placing a calming hand on Prowl's shoulder.

Skyfire's sky-blue optics darted from Optimus to Starscream, lingered there a klik, then nervously back to his leader.

"How is he doing?" he whispered loudly.

"There's no need to whisper man, he's drugged." The supposedly recharging Jazz replied without so much as onlining his visor, making all three larger mechs jump in surprise.

Prowl glared at Jazz's form on the med berth, and a slow smile spread over Jazz's face. " I feel that." He declared lazily to the air above him. "Your gaze pierces me like a pack of vibroblades in my optics, Prowler."

Prowl turned stiffly back to Skyfire. "To answer your question, _Skyfire_." He all but hissed. "He's doing-"

"Not fine at all." Jazz cheerfully interrupted. "And Prowler thinks you'd be too distressing for him to be around, so don't even pop the question, my large friend."

Prowl growled low in his throat, giving Jazz an angry stare.

Skyfire looked as if he'd been struck. "Oh." Was all he said as his wings drooped.

Then he hung his head and turned to leave, but just then, Starscream stirred, _again_ , and at the pitiful cry he let out, Skyfire whipped around and was by his side in a flash, running soothing servos over the seeker's taunt frame, murmuring to him softly.

Prime moved to stick the sedative into a cable, but a growl rumbled from the large flyer's throat, and Prime froze.

"Careful Prime." Jazz said sweetly from his med berth. "Mates, _and_ mates-to-be, are _extremely_ protective of each other, especially when in heat."

Prime slowly looked up at the looming form of Skyfire. "Are you in heat?" he asked faintly.

Skyfire glared down at him, and Prime thought that gave him answer enough.

Slowly, the Autobot leader backed away, and Prowl snarled low, " _That's_ why I didn't want him near the seeker."

But before anyone else could move, the sharp report of a gun went off, and Skyfire crumpled.

Starscream's optics flew open, but Prowl was quicker, covering those ruby optics with his servos while injecting two sedatives at once.

Optimus was staring at Jazz, who was sitting up, a smoking rifle in his hands.

The twinkling visor winked at Prime, and Jazz slowly sank back against the berth right as Ratchet and Ironhide burst in.

"What in the name of Primus is going on!?" Ratchet howled as he came to a halt in the doorway, staring from Skyfire's limp form to Jazz lying on the berth, still cradling the gun, to Prowl crouched atop Starscream's form, and finally to Prime, who looked at him helplessly.

Ironhide stalked up to Jazz, snatched the gun from him, and cracked the butt hard against the assassin's head, having to do it three times before the smaller bot finally was out cold.

Jazz didn't try to resist, nor did he cry out in pain as Ironhide struck him viscously, though Prowl let out a spark-rending cry and dug his claws into Starscream's face.

He had a twisted smile on his lips when he finally went, and Ironhide turned back to the others once it was done.

"What happened?" he demanded gruffly, the gun pointed not-so-accidentally at Prowl, who looked ready to murder Ironhide.

"He's dead." Ratchet announced in a grief-choked voice as he examined Skyfire's smoking chest cavity. "Jazz killed him."

"He had too." Prowl said coldly. " Skyfire would have killed Prime and us if his processor decided we were threats to his mate."

"Why?" Optimus asked, feeling shocked.

"It is the way half-seekers are programmed." Ratchet said sadly.

"Could we have not just kept him somewhere else until his heat was over?" Prime wondered faintly.

"No." said Prowl.

Just then Skyfire moved a bit, and Ratchet leaped backwards.

"His-his spark is returning!" he said in complete shock.

"Starscream." Prowl said simply. "He's burning up."

"It seems that pre-bonds are stronger then we thought, eh Prowler?" Jazz spoke thickly from behind them, and Ironhide spun around, surprise and consternation etched across his silver face.

Jazz grinned weakly, reaching up to gently stroke the large dent in his helm. " Needed to hit harder, Hide" he coughed up some energon. "I'm not that easy to put down. If I was, Megatron would have done so millennia ago."

Skyfire slowly opened his own optics, focusing them on Prowl squatting on Starscream's chest.

Quickly, even more quickly then Prowl or Skyfire moved, Jazz had launched himself over the large flyer's helm and had rolled with Prowl off Starscream as the other ninja was tensing to spring aside, and the half-seeker was lunging for the back and white parti-seeker, though Prime was the only one suspected that as far as he knew.

The two ninja-bots hit the floor hard, and Skyfire hovered over Starscream, glaring at everyone, who were slowly backing away, eager to put distance between themselves and the gone-crazy half-seeker.

Slowly, the crazed look in Skyfire's normally clam and clear optics faded, and a look of dread crossed his face.

"I-I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" he asked in a traumatized tone, looking from one to another in panic.

"Nah, you're good." Jazz muffled voice said from the floor, his head buried in Prowl's chest.

"Yeah, you're fine." Ratchet managed a smile. "Do you remember anything of what just happened?"

Skyfire shook his head. "The last thing I remember is hearing Starscream cry out for me, and, and, that's it." He rubbed his chest and winced, then felt his back, his optics widening.

"I-I've been shot!" he exclaimed in shock, then shuddered and clutched at his head. "No, no." he panted, fighting off a wave of anger that wracked his body as his optics burned such a deep blue they glowed brighter then the lights in the room.

"Sky?" Jazz suggested turning his head from Prowl's chest. "Maybe you should lock yourself in your berthroom until your heat passes."

"But, but I need to-to-… _uuhhrrgh_!" Skyfire groaned, and Starscream began twitching again.

"Do I need to shoot you again?" Jazz threatened calmly, Prowl holding him tightly. "Starscream is safe."

"I'll-I'll go." Skyfire staggered to his peds, Ratchet helping him out, snagging more repair tools as he did so, to close up the gaping wound in the half-seeker's back.

"Whew." Jazz went limp as the med bay door whooshed shut. "Maybe now I can get some rest."

Prowl carried him back to the berth, and this time Jazz was compliant as he was nestled back in.

"Sory ahbout knocking ya cold lil buddy." Ironhide tenderly stroked Jazz's bloodied cheek with a shaking finger. " Ah jes thought-" he shot a glance at Prime and fell silent.

"I'd never turn on Prime, you have my spark-word on that." Jazz murmured as Prowl pressed him down into the bed and climbed in next to him. "Oooh, cuddles, now I'm special. Prowler cuddles…" and just like that, Jazz drifted off into _true_ recharge, Ironhide pressing out the large dent in his head, and Prowl twirling wires back into place with his skilled fingers.

By the time Ratchet returned, Jazz's injury was fully repaired, and Starscream hadn't stirred since Skyfire left.

Ratchet rubbed his temples and looked at Prime tiredly.

"Something tells me that it's going to be a bumpy ride with this particular seeker living with us now." The old medic predicted wearily. "Now, anyone for ideas on where he'll stay once he's out of my med bay?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Quickly, Prime filled in his CMO on what he and Prowl had decided.

Ratchet grunted, then snapped his fingers and pointed towards the door.

"Out." He ordered firmly. "We can talk more later." The medic had spotted Jazz peeking at them from a barely onlined visor, and Prowl giving the two of them a silent glare.

"Ah-righty." Ironhide said agreeably, ushering Optimus out, suggesting an energon break until Ratchet called for them again.

Once the door was swooshed closed and the locks engaged, Ratchet turned back to the two ninjas, not at all surprised to see Jazz fully awake and watching him, Prowl standing by his side, arms folded, waiting.

Ratchet quietly moved to the other patient and ensured he's stay under for a while long, then pulled up a chair for himself and Prowl by Jazz's berthside.

"So we need to talk." Jazz deadpanned.

"It would appear so." Ratchet agreed, optics thoughtful. "Skyfire gave his half of the permissions, Thundercracker gave his go-ahead. Can we continue without Starscream's permissions?"

"No." Jazz shook his helm firmly, and Ratchet sighed.

"Is your mate here?" Prowl asked.

He already knew Skywarp, his own mate, wasn't there.

Ratchet shook his own helm. "Not right now. He is taking over Starscream's former position, and can't get away until later."

"So you're wanting Prowlie and my secrets now?" Jazz asked, still just as flatly.

Ratchet nodded. "I have my own suspicions, and some of what I have seen and heard of the two of you would back up my belief."

"Spill." Jazz commanded, visor going carefully blank.

Ratchet studied them carefully. "You are _Sechren_ , aren't you?"

Prowl hissed, and Jazz's visor booted suddenly.

"How did you figure it out?" Jazz responded.

Ratchet sighed in relief.

He wasn't going to get attacked.

"Oh, I have my ways. The one big thing being how you won't leave him alone during any medical checkup or repair." Ratchet directed this one to Prowl, whose doorwings drooped in recognition of his slipup.

"Ah, it sokay Prowler." Jazz comforted his bond.

Sechren were a very rare bond.

In fact, Ratchet was certain they all had died during the war, and was comforted to know there was at least one example of this very powerful bond still in action…

"So, how did you meet, bond, ect?" Ratchet asked cordially.

The Sechren were silent for a klik, then Jazz sighed and looked to Ratchet with a pined expression.

"I'll tell ya." He mumbled sadly. "With a mate like yours, you deserve to know."

Ratchet smiled inwardly.

For reasons yet unknown, Jazz put a lot of respect into Thundercracker, and since the blue jet was also sparkbonded to Skywarp, Prowls sparkmate, it would make some sense.

"So many, many hundred thousand vorns ago, Prowl and I were sparked the same klik, and emerged in the same klik a full carry later.

We could feel each other's spark beat and core pulse, and from the beginning, searched for each other to complete our spark."

Here Prowl took over part of the story.

"The planet was starting to separate into civil unrest by that time, some following Megatron's new ideas, other wishing to stick with the old ways.

My family was one that preferred the high council, and since we were one of the most important mechs in Praxius, it made me the perfect sparkling to steal and hold for ransom-and a change of alliance, to further fund the Decepticon cause.

Jazz's family were Decepticons, and when I was stolen I was taken to his city: Poly Hex."

 _Makes sense._ Ratchet thought. _With his near obsession in freedom for all mechs, no matter the frame type-was the original Decepticon coding._

Jazz interrupted. "My turn again." He said, and Prowl went mute.

" My loving, kind carrier, who always tended to my every want and need, was taking me for a walk when I found him.

Not just any walk mind you; it was a walk meant to find Prowler. Of course I had felt him growing steadily closer to me; now I just had to find him."

Prowl butted in. "Jazz was just as bad acting as he is now. He snuck off from his carrier's side and found me on his own. It was lucky in a way, as when his frantic carrier tracked him form the sparkling bond, his end screaming that he'd found me and all that, the sparkling stealers tried to run.

They were no match for an angry carrier though." Prowl and Jazz shared a smile at the memory.

"Of course, my carrier was on the hunt too, and she flew in right as Jazz's carrier starting killing mechs."

"Wait, wait!" Ratchet held up his servos. "You're carrier _flew_ in? So you _are_ parti-seeker?"

Prowl nodded stiffly. "Only quarter; my carrier was half-seeker. My sparker and grandcarrier was a grounder."

Ratchet processed the information, then looked his superior officer in the optics. "You do know that will change your medical care a bit. Have I ever injured you in anyway or missed some important vaccine for your coding and processing?"

"A few." Prowl conceded after an uncomfortable pause.

"Can we get back to the action now?" Jazz whined.

Ratchet hid a smile.

Prowl cuffed Jazz lightly, but he was smiling too.

Jazz eagerly took up the tale. "So with two enraged carriers wrenching off body parts left and right, you may have thought two sparkling like us would be cowering in terror." The small black and white Porsche paused and looked at Ratchet.

"Yes, terrified, go on." Ratchet responded, knowing that's what the spy wanted.

Jazz pouted. "No you don't." he said mournfully. "You don't think that at all."

Ratchet rolled his optics. "R-i-g-h-t. I don't." he snapped.

Prowl quickly picked up the story, making Jazz huff.

"The two of us combined sparks while our carriers fought to save us. When all the sparkling stealers were dead, our carriers realized who each other were and began fighting each other."

"But then our spark merge was complete, and both our carriers felt it." Jazz put in. "They both freaked, of course. They tore us apart, and with many a murderous look, took us each home.

My creators were very angry with me. They punished me severely for becoming _Sechren_ with Prowl. Then they took me to every medic in the city to try and diffuse our bond."

Prowl cleared his vocalizer at this point and Jazz fell silent, allowing his Sechren to continue his part of the story.

"My creators were no less upset, but because of our standing they chose to keep it as a secret. Instead, my sparker took me to an Enforcer and apprenticed me to him-and left me. I never saw any of my family ever again."

Prowl's doorwings were trembling, and Jazz laid a servo on Prowl's arm, squeezing gently.

"I'm sorry." Ratchet said, lowering his helm in grief for Prowl's lost family.

Prowl bowed his helm in silent acceptance of the sympathy, and after a few moments, Jazz continued his part.

"While Prowl was training to become the best Enforcer the planet had ever known, I was being dissected in an attempt to diffuse the bond.

However, I had a secret weapon.

Since I was toddling around, I had been escaping to explore around my home, and an enormous gray mech had found me once." Jazz shuddered and growled. "It was Megatron, but I didn't know it at the time. He played with me and gave me energon treats and asked me if I wanted to learn to become the best mech of the planet.

Of course I said yes. Thus began my training to become an efficient killing machine and spy.

Thus, when the medics tried to cut through my coding, they were attacked by my protocols and firewalls, and could not do anything to me.

I think that this was Megsy's plan all along, to get me separated from my creators, because he just 'happed' along, and offered to take me in as his personal apprentice.

My family were tripping over themselves in thankfulness for him taking me, and so to Megatron's home I went.

At first I thought it'd be okay, since he'd been nice to me before.

But I quickly learned better.

By this time, Prowl and I were both younglings, and Megatron set into motion an early interface relay in my young body.

Before I knew it, I was his personal pleasure bot.

I hated my vorns in his berthroom, and when the war started and I was given to his SIC Soundwave as a gift, I was one bitter mechling.

I was well-trained by now, and was Soundwave's right arm when it came to surveillance and assassination work.

It was not many vorns before we fell in love and spark-bonded."

Ratchet interrupted once more. "Soundwave is your mate?!" he exclaimed in surprise.

Jazz nodded, visor dimming as he remembered. "Our first was Ravage. Sounders carried of course. He was built to be a carrier.

Laserbeak was next, then Rumble and Frenzy, then Buzzsaw, then Ratbat." Jazz let out a sigh of contentment.

Prowl nudged him to continue. "Of course, Megatron was most unhappy when he learned of our Sparkbond. That's when he did this." Jazz slowly retracted his visor, and Ratchet had to make a fast dash to a waste cylinder nearby to purge his tanks.

In place of optics, there was a secondary interface relay, one of a femme with two ports, both valved.

Jazz lowered his visor, looking sick himself.

"I can replace that with optics." Ratchet heard himself saying.

"Its been tried. My body refuses them." Jazz admitted.

"By who?" Ratchet demanded.

Jazz looked away.

"By many long-since deceased mecha." Prowl supplied tersely. "We couldn't allow them to live after knowing what Jazz has under that visor."

Ratchet stiffened.

"You're okay." Jazz told him, and Ratchet relaxed.

Just then something occurred to him.

"So, you helped raise Starscream." He stated.

"Eyup." Jazz replied.

"No wonder…" Ratchet looked impressed.

"Aren't cha wonderin' how I got out of this mess?" Jazz teased.

"Of course, go on." Ratchet grinned back.

"It was simple; Prowl rescued me. By that time Star had trined with TC and Warp, and Prowl was already sparkbonded with the Seeker's interface extraordinaire."

"I simply asked Skywarp to get my _Sechren_ out of there, and then we both signed up with the Autobots." Prowl explained.

"And you know the rest." Jazz sighed happily.

Ratchet filed away the info to be processed later, then noticed that sometime during all that, Starscream had come awake and was watching them.

Ratchet hurried to his side, a flush of shame filling his core.

Starscream recoiled, but then lay still.

"I know what you want." He breathed. "My permissions."

Ratchet stared at him, dumbstruck.

"I want my trine." The red, blue, and white Seeker weakly instructed.

Ratchet sent a ping to Thundercracker, and settled down to wait.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Just over a full cycle later, the air shimmered and a familiar _crack_ broke the silence that had reigned in the med bay since Jazz and Prowl had talked with Ratchet.

Jazz had drifted back into recharge, Starscream had watched Ratchet like a gyroeagle, Ratchet was researching on his computers, and Prowl was filling out data pads.

When the two other Seekers appeared, Skywarp was already flitting to Starscream, chirping anxiously, bending down and touching wing tips as he fussed over his leader fitfully.

Jazz woke up the klik Skywarp entered with the other Seeker, and despite the raping he had endure at their mercies, gave them a friendly wave and a grin.

Prowl watched, doorwings twitching, as Thundercracker walked over to Ratchet, looking more serious then usual.

Ratchet noticed his legs were trembling ever so slightly, and he sat down, offering his lap to the larger Cybertronian, knowing how the reserved blue and white flier secretly loved to snuggle.

TC melted gratefully into his stern mate's embrace, his wings shuddering as he settled himself.

Starscream began chirping and gesturing to his trinemates, and they listened attentively.

After several breems of growls, wings flicks, chirps, and other sounds and motions that made up the Seeker language, Starscream turned to Ratchet.

"You have my permission to ask any question you like of Jazz or myself, but none other." He said, and Ratchet glanced at the tri-colored seeker's trinemates in surprise.

"They rejected me." Starscream said flatly. " They do not have the right to speak of me aloud."

Skywarp hung his head, and Thundercracker stiffened, but said nothing.

"Isn't there a way to reverse that?" Ratchet wanted to know.

"That requires performing the trine bonding ritual, and I am of no condition to even consider such an experience." Starscream said sharply. "Nor would I wish to. They have a lot of proving to do first."

Skywarp crept to Prowl, who allowed the purple and black seeker to snuggle against him for comfort.

Ratchet cleared his vocalizer. "Starscream, what is the relationship between you and Skyfire?"

" We are mates. However, I require another mate, so I am still seeking."

Ratchet hadn't asked for that info, but he was glad for it anyway.

"Anycon in mind?" Ratchet asked cautiously.

"Who said it had to be a con?" Starscream retorted, his claws curling into the berth.

"I apologize." Ratchet snapped. "What bot then?"

"Bumblebee." Starscream purred, a soft look coming over his optics.

Ratchet processed that info, and almost laughed.

"What's so funny man?"

Curse Jazz.

"It's not funny!" Starscream struggled into a seated position, glaring daggers at the medic.

"No, it's not." Skywarp offered in an offended tone, cringing as Starscream hissed venomously at him, silencing him.

TC wisely kept his mouth shut, but dug his claws into his mate's leg to express his own displeasure at the old medic's mirth.

Ratchet winced. "That's not what I meant." He said in exasperation. "I just now know who will be rooming with you."

Starscream let a smile grace his faceplates. "So glad you agree with me medic."

"It's Ratchet."

"I'll grace you with your name when I feel you've earned it Ratchet."

"Did, you just make a joke?" Ratchet narrowed his optics, and the injured Seeker winked at him.

"If only Prime or Ironhide could see us now." Jazz remarked, and the whole room erupted into snickers.

"Statistically, if more Decepticons and Autobots Sparkbonded, the war may have a better chance of ending by 78.954 percent." Prowl noted. "If Optimus and Megatron would Sparkbond, a 98.657 percent."

"As if." Starscream snorted. "Neither will ever make a move on the other. Their pride won't let them."

Silence ruled as the gathered bots and cons looked at each other.

"You know, we may just have to help them." Jazz spoke.

"It has a 67% rate of success." Prowl supplied.

"If more bots and cons Sparkbonded?" Jazz pressed.

"The percentage goes up." The Autobot SIC conceded.

"How many Sparkbonds can we arrange?" Starscream wanted to know.

"Well…" Jazz drawled, visor twinkling. " I could get a list."

"Do it." Starscream ordered.

Jazz leveled a look at him.

Starscream huffed and crossed his arms across his chest, pouting.

"Keep in mind that Seekers Sparkbond two, not just one." Prowl reminded Jazz, who stuck out his tongue and got a light slap to his helm for it.

"So when do I get to room with Bee?" Starscream wanted to know.

"As soon as I say you are fit to leave my med bay." Ratchet told him firmly. "And no sooner."

"I'm thinkin' that the younger twins already spilled to Bee your little obsession with him." Jazz declared seriously.

"Why's that?" Starscream looked struck.

"The way he reacted when we brought you in." Jazz said. "He was completely still and silent the whole way back, and he ignored you as best he could until he thought I'd went into recharge, then he wouldn't take his optics off you."

Starscream nodded, then looked at the floor. "Anymore questions?" he suddenly snarled.

"Actually yes." Ratchet replied with a sigh. "I want to know more about your upbringing, and what Megatron has done to you."

Starscream flicked his wings, and both his trinemates moved to his sides.

"For one, I was never properly named." He said, speaking bitterly. "Seekers give a carrying name, a carrying singing name, an emergence name, a seekerlet sparkling name, a seekerlet youngling name, a seekerlet wingling name, a seekerlet mechling name, a clawing name, an interface-ready name, a trined-name, a sparked name, a mated name, a Sparkbonded name, and lastly a dying name. I only retain my seekerlet sparkling name. And I cannot give you my carry name, singing name, or my emergence name; those are trine-only."

Ratchet stared, processor spinning.

"And of course there's our name we go by for others to call us outside trine, which we choose for ourselves, versus the other names, which we are given." Starscream licked his lips. "I chose Megascream, but am known as Starscream, since it is the only name I know, besides my trine-name, Sparkbonded name, Leader name, and Air Commander name."

"The names stack one upon another, except the ones that are private. A Seeker's true name never changes." Jazz supplied for a slightly confused Ratchet.

Starscream's optics glowed. "And I never accepted my rejection name, so that doesn't count."

"So what is your true name?" Ratchet asked hesitantly.

Starscream snapped out of his glare. "The one we choose for ourselves, as Newsparks. A Seer Trine is called when a Seeker is sparked, so as to assess the Newsparks life path, and help the Newspark choose its name. My path was destined to be one full of suffering, by the Con called Megatron, so I chose the first part of his name along with the sound of my suffering, also my given natural weapon. Then the Seer Trine inputs the Seeker's destiny into his or her coding, so they may follow their path freely. "

"Shall we call you Megascream then?" Ratchet wondered.

Starscream shook his head. "Not until I earn it, by leading the Decepticons."

Ratchet looked confused.

Starscream vented loudly. "You have to earn the name you choose, and I decided I would never take my chosen name until I led my own faction, as is my coded destiny."

"But what if peace is achieved first?" Ratchet wanted to know.

"Then I'll stay as Starscream." The flier responded with a flick of his claws.

"Could you tell me your other names?" Ratchet was curious.

Starscream nodded. " My Trine name is CometTrail, my Sparkbonded name is Dragonfly, my Trine Leader name is FireFlame, and my Air Commander name is NovaFire."

Ratchet nodded. "Thank you." He said respectfully.

"Starscream, I believe we should give him an example on how to use those names." Prowl stated.

Starscream nodded, then looked at Skywarp. "Use the Trine Leader name." He commanded crisply. "And I do give you permission to speak."

Skywarp came forward, kneeling on one leg and bowing his wings in respect. " FireFlame. Please, I beg your forgiveness for rejecting you so rashly." Skywarp lifted his face, and they could see there were tears streaming down his gray cheeks.

Starscream hissed. "Forgiveness not granted. Return, and do not speak again."

Skywarp ran to Prowl, falling into his arms with a sob.

Starscream then spoke tersely to Thundercracker. "Use the Trine name."

Thundercracker didn't move from his position. " CometTrail, reverse your rebuke on your Trine Brother."

"Trine Brother?" Ratchet asked as Starscream winced.

"Most Seekers if not mated in a trine, will form brother bonds. Only Warp and Screamer formed them, since TC and Scream have…differences." Jazz supplied.

"Rebuke not reversed." Starscream said. "Now Jazz, use the Air Commander name."

"NovaFire, please cleanse my Sechren's wings. They have been defiled by one not worthy to touch them." Jazz spoke softly.

"It shall be as you wish, Nameless One." Starscream spoke with affection.

"Nameless One?" Ratchet was bewildered.

"Sechren can have two bodies. Prowl has Barricade, Jazz was a Seeker, but Megatron killed him while still being formed, rendering Jazz nameless among Seekers, but much loved." Starscream responded.

"More and more confusing." Ratchet rubbed his helm.

"Now I believe you wanted the remaining of my years as Megatron's adopted sparkling." The Seeker asked.

Ratchet nodded once more.

But before Starscream could say a word, Thundercracker's radio buzzed to life.

"Pit-slaggin' seeker!" Megatron's throaty roar came through, and Starscream cowered. "Get your blue tail pipes over here, or I'll have them on a plate for my refueling!"

"Yes my lord." Thundercracker replied dutifully, and looked at Starscream hopelessly.

Skywarp buzzed unhappily as well, then rushed over to kiss Prowl farewell.

Prowl hugged him tightly as Ratchet stroked down Thundercracker's face, knowing how the more reserved Seeker did not enjoy much public displays of affection.

"We'll be back." TC promised, and a tearful Skywarp nodded, entwining his claws in Starscream's briefly.

Then the two disappeared with another _crack_ , leaving the four alone in the med bay once more.

"Any chance you'll talk to me without your trine?" Ratchet asked Starscream, who had slumped down on the berth once more.

His wings sagged and he shook his head mutely.

Then he looked up with moist optics. "Megatron is going to force them to trine with another Seeker." He said faintly as a spasm racked his body. "Which means they have to dissolve our bond as I am supposed to be dead."

"The fragger!" Jazz cursed from his berth.

"Get-get Skyfire." Starscream whispered as lubricant began streaming out of the sleek armor of his lithe body. "I-I can't let go alone."

Prowl was already on it. "Skyfire, med bay-now." He ordered.


End file.
